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For Latin Americans, Trump’s Outsider Win Is a Familiar Story – With a Twist
Donald Trump’s victory on Nov. 8 may represent the arrival of a true outsider to the U.S. presidency, but the rise of political newcomers is old hat in Latin America. Since the mid-1980s, by my count 21 outsiders have either won the presidency (13) or come in second place (and three of the eight who … Read more
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How a Venezuelan Playwright Conquered Broadway
Leer en español One evening in September, while sitting in a cab in midtown Manhattan, Moisés Kaufman got a phone call telling him he’d been selected to receive the National Medal of Arts, the U.S.’ government’s highest artistic honor. “The first thing I said was ‘Are you sure you got the right number?’” Kaufman told AQ … Read more
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A Note to Our Readers
Following Tuesday’s election, we believe our mission here at Americas Quarterly is as important as ever. Since our founding in 2007, we have worked hard to show you the real Latin America – a region where the middle class is now a majority, democracies are strengthening, and the rule of law is slowly but inexorably on the rise. No … Read more
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The Senator Behind Colombia’s Gay Adoption Fight
With negotiators hurriedly trying to salvage Colombia’s rejected peace deal, one legislator is stirring up conflict of a different sort. For more than a year, Viviane Morales has been pushing a bill that, if passed by Congress and approved in a referendum, would prevent anyone not in a heterosexual marriage from adopting children. Not surprisingly, … Read more
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Brazil’s Authoritarian Side Makes a Comeback
On the eve of Brazil’s Oct. 2 mayoral elections, São Paulo woke up to find one of its most beloved public sculptures – the Monument to the Flags, commemorating the city’s 400th anniversary – slathered in turquoise, red and yellow paint. Sensing opportunity, candidate João Doria rushed to the scene to film a Facebook video … Read more
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Why Caribbean Banks Are Bracing for Problems
(This article has been updated) In countries like Haiti, remittances matter. Many Haitians rely on money sent from family abroad to meet daily needs, especially in the wake of natural disasters such as Hurricane Matthew, which tore through the country in October. But in Haiti and throughout the Caribbean, sending and receiving remittances is getting … Read more
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How Foreign Policy Can Help Address Brazil’s Violence Epidemic
Last week, Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública, a well-respected NGO based in São Paulo, published a series of grim statistics. In 2015, a staggering 58,383 people were assassinated in Brazil. The number of murders in Brazil increased over 250 percent in the last three decades, jumping from 13,910 in 1980 to above 50,000 in 2012. … Read more
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Who Spooks Mexico’s Elites More: Trump or AMLO?
When Donald Trump says he might not accept the result of the U.S. presidential election on November 8 (unless he wins), listeners in Mexico can be forgiven for thinking the claim sounds familiar: their own populist presidential contender, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has twice refused to accept defeat in national elections. The similarity is not … Read more
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Why Some Argentines Are Suspicious of Macri’s ‘War on Drugs’
“We have to win this war.” President Mauricio Macri’s blunt words in August announcing a new approach to combating Argentina’s burgeoning drug problem set off alarm bells with critics worried over a Mexico-style crackdown. Now, one of the country’s leading human rights organizations is warning that the armed forces’ increased role in fighting drug traffickers … Read more
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Los Venezolanos y la pregunta del millón: ¿Qué va a pasar?
Read in English Incertidumbre, temor, esperanza. Betsimar, una caraqueña de 55 años, viene de manifestar contra el gobierno en la multitudinaria concentración que se celebró este miércoles en la ciudad, la llamada “Toma de Venezuela.” Mientras camina de vuelta a su casa recapitula: “Volvimos a las calles y allí vamos a seguir.” En menos de … Read more
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Venezuela’s Million Dollar Question: What Now?
Leer en español At each new turn, Venezuela’s political crisis appears headed for climax. But amid political maneuvering and demonstrations by both the government of President Nicolás Maduro and his opposition, the mood on the ground in Caracas remains one of uncertainty – and determination. Betsimar, a 55-year-old woman from Caracas, was one of the … Read more
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The Double Standard Facing Latin America’s Women Entrepreneurs
Vilma Tellez Ballesteros has been a coffee producer for most of her life, running a successful business from her home in northern Nicaragua for more than two decades. But when she goes to the bank to negotiate loans, she brings her husband with her. “They listen to him,” her daughter, Carmen Davila Tellez, told AQ. … Read more
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Nicaragua’s New Boss, Same as the Old Boss
It’s election season in Nicaragua, but a visitor to Managua could be forgiven for not noticing. No catchy political jingles blare from car radios, and the only campaign posters and billboards are the same as ever: the pink and baby blue offerings of the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Less than a month until … Read more
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The Missing Piece of U.S. Aid for Central America
When the road is clear, the drive from Guatemala City to Izabal, about 205 miles away, takes just over five hours. Jose Rodríguez was lucky to make it in eight. Rodriguez, who travels all over the country as a contractor refurbishing pharmacies and supermarkets, was on his way to a job in Izabal this September … Read more
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What Mexico Can Learn from Haiti’s Development Plans
The idea sounds simple: Special Economic Zones (SEZs) offer tax exemptions and cheap labor as hooks to attract investment from foreign companies. Money trickles in, local suppliers get a foothold and the middle class begins to grow. At least, in theory. Mexico is betting big on SEZs, with a new federal law that will create four of … Read more
